diff --git a/libavcodec/pgssubdec.c b/libavcodec/pgssubdec.c
index 388639a110..2d5700a51e 100644
--- a/libavcodec/pgssubdec.c
+++ b/libavcodec/pgssubdec.c
@@ -677,7 +677,8 @@ static int decode(AVCodecContext *avctx, void *data, int *got_sub_ptr,
             ret = AVERROR_INVALIDDATA;
             break;
         }
-        if (ret < 0 && (avctx->err_recognition & AV_EF_EXPLODE)) {
+        if (ret < 0 && (ret == AVERROR(ENOMEM) ||
+                        avctx->err_recognition & AV_EF_EXPLODE)) {
             avsubtitle_free(data);
             *got_sub_ptr = 0;
             return ret;